


Here

by ChestnutPatronus14



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Creation of Thunder Legion, Developing Relationship, M/M, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, thunder legion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-06 18:23:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14062779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChestnutPatronus14/pseuds/ChestnutPatronus14
Summary: If it was not for Laxus, Freed would have never joined Fairy Tail.  That young boy who had found him on the streets and dragged him back to the guild was his first friend, and one of the few people that Freed learned to trust.  Yet his world is forced to change as Laxus brings others in close to him, creating the Thunder Legion.  Not to mention the change in Laxus since his father was banished from the guild.Through it all, Freed will stay by his side.  Laxus has been his partner since the start, and he always will be.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings and welcome to my newest fic featuring the wonderful pair that is Freed and Laxus from Fairy Tail, better known as Fraxus!
> 
> The story is gonna go over their developing relationship, starting when they first met. Later chapters will show more details of their childhood and the time spent together. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Freed was used to the cold and to the rain.Freed was used to having to scramble to find a place to sleep at night. Freed was used to his belly rumbling as he shivered.

What he wasn’t used to was finding the place to sleep, and only to have someone stop and actual look at him.Yet there he was, a boy no older than him, a shock of golden hair atop his head and blue eyes staring at him with shock, surprise.

“Why you sitting there?” he asked raining beading off of the red umbrella he was holding in his hands.

“Because it is dry,” Freed replied dropping his gaze.People did not like when he looked at them, found his gaze unsettling, specifically his right eye, which he had learned to keep covered.The magic was powerful, allowed him to write in the air, but his eye…it wasn’t his eye anymore.It was a strange thing that frightened him when he saw it in the water.

The spot he had found was against some crates in an ally, he had managed to nudge the crates apart enough to create a small space he could squeeze in to hide and to sleep. But this boy was watching him, why was he watching him.

“Laxus! It’s time to go home!”

The boy, Laxus, kept looking at him. Laxus did not seem to move, just kept staring at him.Another call from an impatient parent, and then a hand shot out and grabbed his arm dragging him away. 

Freed huddled closer to the crates, hugging his knees to his chest. Home.That was what he wanted, what he wished for. Even as the rain continued to fall, Freed closed his eyes, and let himself rest.

The green haired boy thought nothing of the odd interaction until the next day when he was in the market, staring at one of the stalls that had apples. His brain was working through how quick he’d have to move in order to snatch one of them out of the basket and get away without getting caught, when a hand grabbed his arm.

“It’s you!”

Freed turned to look at the boy from last evening. “W-What do you want?” he asked, looking at him cautiously.

“To find you. I’m Laxus.”

“Freed.”

“Whatcha doing Freed?” 

Freed glanced over his shoulder towards where the apples were then back to Laxus.Lie? No that wasn’t in his nature.“I want an apple…I’m hungry.”

“Oh! Why didn’t you say so?”Laxus took hold of Freed’s hand started to drag him away from the market.“We can go to my Grandpa’s guild! We can eat there!”

“But I-“

“Don’tcha worry, I got this.”The other boy was confident in a way that Freed envied, he wished he was able to walk with his head held up high.

The guild hall was like nothing that Freed had ever seen before.There were people everywhere, all talking, laughing, some playing games, some eating.And there was magic everywhere.The scent of food, rich meats and spices, caused his stomach to growl hungrily.

“Gramps! I got a new friend! Can we get food?”

Freed looked to the man that Laxus talked to, clinging to his hand as if it was a life line. The man was short, no taller than Freed was, though it was hard to tell from how he was sitting on the counter. As Laxus climbed into one of the stools by the bar, Freed did the same, but kept his eyes down.He was out of place there, different than the rest. He did not-

“Let me see your eyes son.” Freed looked up only to be face to face with the one that Laxus had called Gramps. He swallowed past the lump in his throat, keeping his left eye covered carefully. “Both eyes.”

His fingers shook as he pushed his green hair from his other eye, revealing his eye.It was black, no white, the iris a bright purple.Freed hated it, he did.Yes it seemed to let him use magic, but it scared everyone and he was certain it would happen again right then.No food, no break from being outside.

“Whoa! Gramps why’s his eye like that?” Laxus asked having leaned in closer to see.

“Eye magic.Powerful.Not something to be messed with.You must be able to do incredible things my boy.”The old man watched him for a moment.“My name is Makarov, this is Fairy Tail.You are welcome to stay here for the time being.”

“Hear that Freed? You can stay and we can eat and play games and stuff.”

Freed looked to Laxus, his eyes wide, before a small shy smile appeared on his features and he nodded his head.“Okay….”

“And we can teach you to control that magic of yours,” Makarov said with a nod, motioning for someone to bring two bowls of stew over to them.

Freed didn’t hear what they were talking about as the food was set in front of him and he dug into it.It had been a while since he had had a decent meal and the food was delicious.Meat and potatoes were not a luxury that he could afford the majority of the time. The odd jobs he did for people in town did not pay that well.

He slowed when he heard Laxus laughing beside him, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.“It ain’t going anywhere you don’t gotta race.” 

“Laxus?” Freed asked looking back towards the bowl.“Does…this mean we’re friends?”

“Nope.”Freed looked up, startled.Sure his interactions with people his own age were limited, but that didn’t mean that he had read the situation wrong did it?“It means we’re best friends.”

His eyes were still wide as he looked at Laxus, who was smiling with that bright joyful smile on his features. “Welcome to Fairy Tail, Freed!” Laxus said, nudging his new friend with his shoulder.

Neither of the boys noticed the others in the room that were watching them.Makarov, talking to a pair of young wizards, asking them to go into town to gather information on the strange green haired boy.The other, a man with black hair, sneering, seeming angry, the dark energy radiating off of him.

The day was one of the best that Freed could remember.He spent the day exploring the guild hall with Laxus, following after him like a shadow.There were so many things in the guild hall, though the room that had stopped him in his tracks was the small library and he stared with awe at all the books surrounding the walls.So many and they seemed to be in different languages and about different things.When he had stared particularly at one of them, Laxus reached up and plucked it from the shelf, pushing it into his hands. Freed hugged the book to his chest as they continued to explore.

They ended up outside by the water, and Freed watched as a few lightning bolts appeared in Laxus’s palm.“It’s not much but it’s a start! I’m gonna be the guild master one day like my grandpa,” he said beaming with pride as he looked towards Freed. “What can you do?”

“I….I can enchant stuff, write things in the air.”He paused and looked around before just writing a simply word in the air. It glowed purple for a moment before it disappeared. “Like that.” When he looked back to Laxus, the other boy’s eyes were wide.“What?”

“I don’t know of anyone who can do that!”

“You don’t?” That surprised Freed, Laxus seemed to have grown up around magic, and to not know of anyone else who could do those sort of things was odd.

 

Makarov watched the boys while they were outside looking up when Wakaba and Macao approached him.“What did you hear?”

“The boy appeared in town a couple of months ago, he’s been doing odd jobs in town for those who need something magically enchanted.There’s no reports of a child going missing,” Macao answered hands in his pockets as he looked at the guild master.

“Might got something to do with that eye of his.”

Makarov nodded solemnly as he looked towards the children.It was what he had suspected.That eye of Freed’s, the magic that he had managed to learn at a young age, would have scared anyone.His parents probably had not known what to do.The child was well spoken, probably from some upperclass family who was too fearful of that eye to risk keeping the child around.“He’s a part of our family now.We will keep him safe.”

 

“This is my room.” Freed had followed Laxus to the guild master’s area of the guild hall, where he apparently lived with his family. His eyes looked up at the door that Laxus was opening and pulling him through.Was this what all bedrooms were like?There were toys about the room, pictures on the walls of various wizards, a few old photographs on the small bookcase that seemed to hold only precious items that belonged to the boy.There were few books, and what books he saw seemed to be about wizards, stories. 

Through the window, night had come, stars lighting up the sky. A knot had formed in Freed’s stomach, night meant Laxus would need sleep, and it would mean he’d have to leave.Wouldn’t it? He let go of his hand and took a step back.“Time to go…”

“What? You’re leaving?” Laxus looked confused, glancing first to his hand, then to Freed.“Why?”

“Because I-“

“No you’re staying with me. My bed’s big enough you can sleep with me!”In all of his eight year old wisdom, he nodded his head, having come to the decision without any discussion with Freed.

“I…I can stay?”

“Course you can! Gramps is cool. Said you could share the bed didn’t I?”

The tears sprang to his eyes and Freed rubbed at them with his fist, hating how easily they sudden came to his eyes.“I….why are you being nice to me?”

“Cause you’re my best friend.That’s what friends do for each other.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Let me see him.” 

It had been several year since Laxus had first found him alone on the streets of Magnolia and had brought him to Fairy Tail, and they had been inseparable.They had gotten their marks to join Fairy Tail at the same time.The only times they seemed to part was when Freed would need space, and even then Laxus knew where to find him.The transformation in Freed had been astounding.No longer the timid boy, he was now just barely a teenager.He still spoke the same, and took care in his appearance, always putting his best foot forward so people would forget the place he had come from.That, and he was now learning to use a sword, and was quickly becoming quite deadly with the weapon.

“Did you not hear me? I said let me in.”

But something happened with Laxus, and this time Freed had not been able to find him.When he finally got word that Laxus was being treated in the medical wing, he became enraged when he was denied entry into the room.His eye turned dark as he stared at the wizards who dared to block his entrance.They had one last chance to get out of his way, and when they simply exchanged a look, Freed acted.

His hand flew out, trapping the guards in an enchantment that prevented them from using their magic and leave the rectangle as the words glowed along the floor.The young wizard barreled through the doors into the infirmary and over towards where he saw Laxus in the bed, his eyes closed, Makarov standing near him.

“Laxus.”Freed scrambled to his side, staring at him.There were bandages covering half of his face, and he looked, felt different to be near.There was an energy in the air that he did not recognize. It was like the very air was alive. He reached his hand down to take Laxus’s and was only stopped when Makarov coughed.

He looked up, meeting the older man’s eyes.

“Master?”

“It is risky right now.There is a chance that if you touch him, he will hurt you without meaning to.”

“Master what happened to him?”

Makarov was silent for a moment.“His father…he placed a lacryma inside him.It will make him more powerful, but it was done so in a manner not befitting a Fairy Tail wizard.”

His eyes moved to rest on Laxus, worry in his eyes. He reached down and took his hand.The shock came within a moment of their skin touching.It was not powerful, but it made his arm tingle like he had touched a bolt of lightning that he used to make in his palm the nights they stayed up far too late. “He will be okay, right master?”

“He will Freed.Do not worry.”

Freed did worry, and he worried in the weeks after as Laxus left the infirmary the lightning bolt scar along the side of his face.He was indeed more powerful, and he always beamed with pride when he was showing Freed what else he could do when they would practice together.It was truly a sight to see. It was like he was a living storm, and there were times when Freed found his gaze lingering just longer than it used to, even as his stomach began to churn with unease.Things were changing in the guild, new people were joining.

“I do not see why you invited him to train with us,” Freed commented leaning against a tree, his eyes closed for the moment.

“What’s the problem Freed? You jealous or something?” Laxus asked, waving over to the person who Laxus had invited to train with them.He was a new recruit, seemed to be able to control puppets.“Besides he’s got a kind of magic you’ll find interesting…”

That got Freed to open his eyes as he looked towards the teenager who approached.He was taller than them both, but Freed had heard they were all the same age give or take a few months.His black hair was cut short on the sides, and the top was bright blue, same as his eyes and he carried a helmet under his arm. When he saw them he waved, his tongue coming out of his mouth as he grinned.

“He put his guild mark on his tongue?” Freed wrinkled his nose and shook his head.This was a bad idea. Horrible idea. “Laxus I really must-“

“Freed ask him how he got those puppets.”

Freed looked towards the puppets that were floating around him.He sighed, folding his arms over his chest.“Bickslow, how did you get those puppets.”

And then Bickslow was suddenly way too close and it had Freed all but crawling his way up the tree.“Why my eyes.Can make people my puppets with them.”There was a delighted grin on his features and really it just made Freed want to disappear.

“He’s got eye magic, same as you.”

“That is not the same as mine and you very well know it Laxus.”

Laxus snorted, waving a non committal hand.“We’ll give it a shot and if it doesn’t work out so be it.Give a guy a chance.”

Bickslow was still far too close to him for his comfort, and Freed had to slide himself around the tree to get away from him.“Fine, but only because you believe it is a good idea.”

It was not a good idea.Freed would stick by that statement even if secretly he believed it was one of their best training sessions in a long time. Bickslow had given them both a run for their money, and Freed as exhausted by the time they got back to the guild hall.He was sitting at their normal table his head down when he felt someone sit beside him, and then an arm was around his shoulders.It took what little energy he had left not to jump clear out of his own skin.

“What do you want Bickslow?”

“You got some cool magic their Freed. Like those eyes of yours.”

Freed lifted his head to look at him, a brow quirked in confusion. “You like…my eyes?”

“Yeah, they let you enchant stuff in the air that others can’t. Pretty damn awesome if I do say so.”He was grinning again, that tongue with the mark flashing about.Was he really doing it just so that others would see it?That had to be it.Had to.“Haven’t met another with eye magic like me.”

“I’m not like you.”

“No.But that’s what makes things interesting don’t it?”

Freed made a face, and ducked from under his arm. “I suppose it can.”

Bickslow watched him, and promptly leaned in much to close. “So what do you say, you wanna train again?”

“If Laxus-“

“Nope, don’t wanna know ‘bout the lightning kid, wanna know what you think.”

Freed froze.No one other than Laxus ever asked what he thought about things. Perhaps that was due to his lack of socialization within the guild, and yet still not even on things he could help with.Opinions on food, if he knew how to break a certain enchantment.It was always just if he had seen Laxus, or knew where he had gone. “I…suppose it would be alright. Fighting others who are as good as we are if not better is the most efficient way to improve our magical capabilities.”

“Did you swallow a dictionary or something?”

That actually got a half smile to appear on Freed’s features, a faint chuckle escaping him. “Maybe I did.”

“Did you just get Freed to make a joke?” Laxus asked sitting down and setting down the mugs in front of them. 

It was still early, early enough that Freed could smell the different breakfast foods cooking, wafting from the kitchen.He eyed the mug cautiously, sniffing before he looked up at Laxus, surprised.

“What did you think I didn’t notice you always drink that tea with the funky smell in the morning and not coffee?” Laxus was smirking taking a drink of his mug of black coffee.It was the opposite of what Freed spied in Bickslows, which was so pale he wasn’t certain it could qualify as coffee.

Early Gray tea, that was his typical morning drink.Coffee had always tasted either too sweet or too bitter for him, the tea had been a recommendation of one of the other members of the guild. It was good, and just a dash of cream made it a drink that Freed enjoyed happily.What made him smile that morning, was that Laxus seemed to have noticed and remembered what his preferred beverage was.

“I am surprised you remembered is all.”He flinched when he felt a kick to his shin and he tilted his head towards Laxus. “You kicked me?”

“Course I remember things about you, you’re my best friend.”Laxus looked towards the young woman who brought over breakfasts.Both Laxus and Bickslow had plates filled with various breakfast meats; eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes and toast. Freed’s plate was a stark contrast, and consisted of fruit and granola, which he normally ate.Of course, he also had a bad habit of stealing food from Laxus’s plate, only to have the other swat his hand with his fork but not actually try to stop him.

“Why you eating all of that?” Bickslow asked, his head tilted to the side, pointing to Freed’s bowl with his fork.

“Hey don’t talk about his eating habits. Guy eats like a wolf later in the day,” Laxus snapped, and swatted the back of Freed’s hand as he stole a piece of bacon off of his plate. “If you wanted some order some.”

“I cannot just order one piece of bacon,” Freed countered as he bit into the crispy strip with a crunch. “If I could I would.”That earned another light kick to his shin under the table, and Freed, that time, just smiled at him, his mouth filled with the bacon he had stolen.

“Take it you got Feed’s approval then?” Laxus asked his gaze shifting to Bickslow.

Once again, Freed found Bickslow’s arm around his shoulder, tugging him close in a one armed hug. “Yeah me and this guy we’re gonna be good friends. Just you wait and see pretty boy.”

Freed made a face at being tugged close to him, but he did not pull away quite so quick as he had earlier.This guy, he was okay. Freed figured it was okay for him to be around. At least for now. He was not too keen on sharing Laxus’s attention with another person.

It would take him longer to adjust when another person joined their little group a week later, again invited by Laxus based upon her eye magic; the ability to turn people to stone with nothing more than a glance.Freed was instantly jealous of her, and angry with Laxus for inviting someone else to join them.She was pretty, powerful, and intelligent. It was unkind of him to think so negatively of her simply for existing in their group, but that was how he felt. Why did Laxus need to invite others?

“Hey know what we could call ourselves?” Bickslow said one evening at dinner, having already eaten half of his plate.

Freed was sitting beside Laxus who was watching with his headphones on, his eyes on the other side of the guild. “What?” Freed asked, his shoulders going stiff when Evergreen sat back down with them.

“The Thunder Legion.”

“The Thunder Legion?” Evergreen asked looking at Bickslow in confusion.

“Yeah, you know the guy who brought us together uses lightning magic, what goes with lightning but thunder? Whatcha think Laxus?”

All eyes moved to Laxus, who quirked a smile and nodded his head.“Yeah.Sounds good, I like it.”His eyes moved to Freed. “You aren’t eating are you good?”

“I’m fine, not hungry.”In truth, his stomach was churning from envy far too much for him to be able to relax enough to eat.Then, there was suddenly music in his ears, rock, the classic stuff that Freed could recall hearing with Laxus in the past.Green eyes moved to look at Laxus, his hand coming up to touch the magical headphones that were no longer on Laxus’s head but on his own.

“Relax Freed, close your eyes. Listen, then try eating.”

Freed stiffened slightly then closed his eyes and just listened to the music playing, letting it distract him, his muscles beginning to relax.As soon as he was, the hunger hit him full force and he dug into his food. He was able to pick up a small chuckle from Laxus. “You gotta learn to relax Freed,” Laxus said as he took the headphones from him, fixing them over his ears once more. “It’s you and me. Always has been.”


	3. Chapter 3

It would be three years later, just after Freed’s birthday, that the S-Class Trials were announced and one of those eligible to participate was Laxus.It was his second year doing so, having had the unfortunate experience of coming up against Gildarts right off the bat the year prior, Mystogan had become S-Class, succeeding flawlessly throughout the trials.It had angered Laxus, only adding to the pain and humiliation he felt that had begun to build up when his father had been banished from the guild.

Freed had not been his partner that year, he had picked Bickslow to go with him to Tenroe. As much as it hurt, he understood why, Bickslow was a good fighter, his magic making him unique enough that it would be hard to pass him up.So when the S-Class Trials were announced again and the contestants included Laxus and several other of the younger more powerful wizards in the guild, Freed fully expected Laxus to pick Bickslow or Evergreen.

“Hey, you’ll be my partner right?” Freed glances towards the side, towards Laxus, who had his eyes straight forward. 

“Of course Laxus,” he answered, unable to stop the smile from appearing on his features.The Thunder Legion had become a force to be reckoned with over the past several years, their fame growing just as much as Laxus did.They never went anywhere without each other, each of their skills having grown far more impressive.Freed had even started to get along with and trust both Evergreen and Bickslow in the same manner he did Laxus.Or…similar manner.

“Should have picked you last year, wouldn’t have been taken out by that bastard Gildarts. I should have been the S-Class, not Mystogan.”The mysterious wizard was almost never seen at the guildhall, and when he did visit, most of them were passed out cold.“We got two weeks to train. No holding back.I will win this year.”

Their abilities wasn’t the only change, Laxus was colder, angrier, and almost always argued with the Master when they were in the guildhall.The worst one had been right after his father had been banished. It seemed to Freed, Laxus was convinced that his fame was not his own, but his grandfather’s. It hurt to see Laxus so cold and stiff around the rest of the guild, especially when they were on jobs, he wasn’t always like that. 

“Come on Freed, let’s go.”Laxus turned leaving the guild hall and the angry shouts from a young pink haired wizard who had joined in the past month. Freed followed, his hand resting on the sword by his waist. Enchantments were his speciality, and he was certain he’d be able to use them to help Laxus train so he’d be able to defeat those who dared to challenge him. Freed knew Laxus’s strength, that he was incredibly powerful, and there was magic that he just had not yet shown the rest of the guild.

And train they did, from the moment the sun rose until it set at night. It was difficult work, but they managed, they somehow always seemed to manage to make it through the day. It almost all came crashing down though the night before the trials, when Laxus once again had a loud argument with his grandfather.Freed had reached out to put a hand on Laxus’s arm, and the jolt of electricity that went through him was strong enough he had to jerk back away from Laxus, his palm red, raw from the burn.

“Laxus!” Bickslow snapped, both him and Evergreen having moved to Freed’s side. Laxus turned to see Evergreen carefully taking Freed’s hand, coaxing him to uncurl his fingers to show her his palm.The burn wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

“Freed.”There was something, just a note of concern in his voice, his eyes showing the surprise that he had been the one to do that.The accidental shocks had stopped within a few months after the lacryma had been implanted but this?This was not the same as those had been, Freed had felt the power behind the bolt. “Let me see.” Laxus had moved close, taking Freed’s hand in his own.

Freed uncurled his fingers, his palm was red, though there were no blisters. “It was an accident Freed…” Laxus said his voice softly, leaning so his head was closer to Freed’s. “I get angry and it…”

“I know Laxus,” he said quietly, offering a small smile.“Like when you were younger, hard to control when our magic is tied to our emotions…”

“I’d understand if you-“

“Don’t say it. I’m helping you win.You will become an S-Class Wizard,” Feed said looking up to lock his eyes with the lightning wizard’s.“You’re not the only one who has magic they haven’t shown off yet.”

* * *

 

The following day they were on the boat to Tenroe Island with the others, being told their first task was to make it to the island. He heard some of the others grumbling, trying to determine how to get there. The second that Master Makarov had mentioned needing to get to the island, however, Freed had drew his sword with his bandaged hand, his eyes both going black and purple as wings made of his enchantment appeared on his back.

For a split second the deck was silent as he lifted off the ground and held out his hands to Laxus. “Told you so,” he said when Laxus laughed and let the other lift him up, flying fast across the water. It was the same first task as last year, make it to the island, go through the tunnels, either fight another pair, fight an S-Class, or do nothing.

“When the hell you learn to do this Freed?” Laxus asked, looking up to Freed that smirk still on his features. He could hear the others coming up behind them, but they were still first and that was what Freed was clinging to.

“When you returned last year and said what the challenge had been. To get to the island, you needed a way that was fast and could carry both you and your partner. Bickslow’s puppets are good but-“Freed grinned his green hair whipping around his face. “I’m faster.”

Freed dove towards the shoreline, letting Laxus down in the water as a cushion for the landing.He still wasn’t exactly skilled at the whole landing and really did not want to drop him head first onto a rock or something and really mess up his chances at becoming S Class this time around. “We need to-“He stopped short as Laxus, still smiling, pulled him into a hug.

“You gotta speak up more often, you’re damn powerful Freed. Don’t gotta always be so noble. You don’t like something you speak up.” Laxus stepped back, clasped his shoulder and moved forward into one of the tunnels. Serenity.Freed flinched when they got to the end without running into anything.Some part of him had known that Laxus was itching for a fight, to prove that he was worthy of being S class.

Freed took a seat on one of the rocks, watching as Laxus began to pace back and forth. “Laxus, may I ask you about something?”

Laxus sort of grunted at him, so Freed continued. “Why is becoming S class so important to you? I know it means you’ll be able to go on better jobs, have a better standing in the guild, and yet…” He looked down towards his hands, rubbing them together almost nervously. “This seems different….”

The silence that followed was agonizing and Freed feared that he had said something wrong, to anger Laxus in a manner that he had not meant to. “I don’t want to be known as Makarov’s grandson.I want to be known for who I am as a wizard.”Laxus had moved to sit beside him, a hand resting over Freed’s hands. “You’re the only one who has ever thought me worth a damn. You were my only friend you know? When we were kids…”

Freed knew, had never said anything, but he had known all along. Laxus had been so different when they were young, but he also could not be as active as a lot of the other kids, and magic drained him. So when Laxus would get tired, Freed read him stories, would sit on his bed and read for hours to him so his friend wasn’t alone.

He looked towards him, giving Laxus the space to keep talking. “I want to win, so that I can prove I am a wizard as good as my grandfather, and better than my father. I want…I want to be someone you can be proud to say you know.”

“Laxus…” Freed took his hands and offered him a small smile. “I already am.”


	4. Chapter 4

The storm had come quickly and unexpectedly, and put a halt to the S-Class Trials until it would pass. It was too dangerous for them to leave the camp that had been set up, and despite the enchantment Freed placed to keep their camp from being flooded (it worked most of the time), it wasn’t exactly mobile and kept them confined. There were several others there besides Freed, Laxus, and Makarov.Mystogan and Gildarts were there as the current S-Class Wizards from Fairy Tail who were there as part of the test, as well as the people participating in the exam.Other contestants included Ezra Scarlet, and Mirajane Strauss, both of who were several years younger than Laxus, but that did not make them any less powerful.Or did it?Sure Erza’s re-quip magic was impressive, and nothing could quite beat Mirajane’s demon soul, but Laxus was different.

He may have been biased, but for Freed, it was obvious who was going to be the S-Class Wizard that year. It had to be Laxus, no one else deserved it as much as he did.Freed was sitting by the edge of his enchantment, shivering slightly.There was a fire for warmth but there were far more people there than he was comfortable with.That was when a coat was dropped upon his head, and he glanced up to see Laxus taking a seat beside him.

“Better not be pushing yourself too hard,” he said holding out a bowl of stew to him. “You good keeping that in place? Can take it down when everyone goes to bed you know.”

“I know, “ he said with a small smile taking the bowl of stew from him.“I don’t mind the rain, just when it was cold and raining.” He blew on a spoonful, before he ate it hungrily.It had a rich broth, root vegetables, and some sort of spice that he could not quite identify. It was good, something meant to warm them up. He tugged Laxus’s coat closer around his shoulders.

“Hey I never asked you, that night I brought you back to the guild when we were kids,” Laxus said gazing out at the rain. “You had started to cry when I said you could sleep in my bed…”

Did Laxus not realize? Freed was watching him closely, his brows furrowing slightly.Was he ready to tell him? Laxus should know, they had known each other since they were kids and it was a piece of him that while he hated sharing, maybe it was something Laxus needed to hear. “My parents…they took a trip to Magnolia when I was little, and left me there. They waited till I was looking at something and walked away.I grew up hearing I was a demon. A monster…I guess they got tired of saying it and hearing it from all their friends.”There was a sad smile on his features. “You offering me a bed…it was the first kind gesture, the first time someone even offered such a thing to me without asking for something in return or saying I was a monster. I was so happy I just started to cry.”

“You’re parents kicked you out, Freed how old were you?”

“I don’t remember…six? Maybe younger, I’m still fuzzy on the specifics sort of blocked it all out.”

“Freed…we were eight when we met. You telling me you were on the streets for two years?”

“Uh huh. Was in the orphanage for a while, till they saw my eye one day. Kicked me out again.”

Suddenly, he was against Laxus, the other having wrapped an arm around him, pulling him to his side. “Never again. Gonna keep you safe, you always got a place to sleep.”They had since they were small, preferring to have the company of the other beside them.When Freed got his own room, that had not changed, by morning most nights they were cuddled together in bed.It stopped when Laxus had the lacryma, mostly because Laxus was worried about electrocuting Freed.

Laxus tilted his head, letting it rest on top of Freed’s, hold hold protective. “Aren’t you cold?” Freed asked quietly after remaining silent for a long moment.The coat was around his shoulders and despite the bowls of stew they had, the air was still cool.

“Nah I got you, I’m good.” 

That made Freed blush, his cheeks turning pink. It was so strange to him, to hear Laxus speak like that with others in ear shot of them.They were not together, they were just friends, and honestly Freed found himself more and more wishing that they were more than friends.Laxus had made it clear on all their missions together, that he was not interested in relationship with others. So Freed remained quiet, would let himself just be happy that he was able to be friends with Laxus. It was more than he could ever wish for.

“Too bad gramps banned that spell of yours… you could easily beat Mirajane’s demon soul with it.” Laxus let out a sigh.“You’re far more powerful than people realize, probably even stronger than I’ll ever be.”

“I don’t believe that. You haven’t had a spell get banned from use because you nearly killed someone when you were thirteen.” It had been one of their first solo missions, and Laxus had gotten injured protecting him.Freed had lost it, had become the demon people had always told him he was when he was younger.The spell had been banned the second they had gotten back to the guild hall. “I can’t control my magic like how you can. Not fast like you either.”

“But you’re smart, look at this.”He waved his hand around. “You’re keeping us dry from the damned rain. How many people could do that?” Laxus grinned down at Freed. “Don’t sell yourself short, you are incredible. Rest of the guild should know that.”

Freed looked at him, and smiled. “So long as you know Laxus, that is what is important to me.”

Really as long as Laxus thought that, then he could care less what the rest of the guild thought about him.That had been true since he first joined.Yes he kept up with his appearance, had fancy clothes and showed off more than he needed to.But all of that could disappear in a heart beat, and Freed would be okay, so long as Laxus was there.

“Your hair is getting long.I like it,” Laxus said idly before he turned back to his sew continuing to eat.

Freed hesitated wondering if he should tell Laxus that he had been planning on cutting it. But if Laxus liked it longer, maybe he’d just keep it long.


End file.
